Shasta

It has long been my practice to make Shasta's food. Today is the day for that to happen. 

Using this book: 

a finding on page 93 the recipe for "Boneless beef with liver and heart for DOGS" which was modified. From a local grocery store purchased 

8.52# ground lamb, 

slightly more than 1# of liver that was frozen (of course, thawed) and 0.42# of lamb heart (which was delivered to the local grocery store)

The liver and heart were ground. 

Using the above,
the liver and heart
are "ground up"

Then all of the ingredients were put into a very large crockery bowl and mixed well with my hands.

The pint jars in which the 1 cup of Shasta's food will be measured and placed are lined up next to the food bowl.

"Implements" to accomplish
the task

The filled jars are set
on a tray

1 cup each were placed in 20 jars total.  Some of the filled jars will be placed in the freezer section of the refrigerator. 

The others will stored in the freezer located in the garage.

Each jar provides two meals: breakfast and dinner. She get a cup of chicken necks for her lunch

All the while Shasta sits nearby knowing she gets to clean up the bowl.

Shasta's water bowl that sits outside the dining room double doors going to the backyard. It is a mystery to me that she prefers the water in this bowl to the bowl in her kitchen feeding table. All of the water comes from the same source: the kitchen facet.

Finally

The last of the zinnias
that were planted
in the holes of
the two planting beds
in the backyard.

Finally Fall, 2024, has arrived here in Northern California. Summer just did not want to let go with her grip on hot weather. Those without air conditioning have been mostly miserable during the day time and cooling during the nighttime was minimal.

Bodega Bay, especially along the water, is markedly cooler. When Leigh was visiting recently from Seattle, Washington, we took a spin, so to speak, to enjoy the cooler temperatures.

We had lunch after visiting the Ren Brown Collection, an art gallery in Bodega Bay, California. This destination had often been one when my late husband was alive. Now I do not often drive there accompanied by Shasta, but do when there is visitor with whom to enjoy this wonderful place. 

Shasta lying in her
favorite spot on
the back patio.
The slate is cool
and out of the sun.

Previously, some zealous individual believing roundabouts would cause "floods" of people to "overtake" this small burg, put an initiative on to ban roundabouts. Finally, perhaps Cotati can create roundabouts, as it is on the 2024 ballot allowing people to decide. 

Signs, like the one in pictured here,  are going up in many of the yards Shasta and I walk by in the morning. They are also evident when driving about our fine, small town.

Also noticeable are pumpkins &/or cornstalks on quite a few porches, steps, patios. Unfortunately if it is windy the cornstalks are blown over,

but easily remedied when Shasta and I exit our front door for our morning walk.

While native flowering plants are the best source of nectar for hummingbirds, supplementing with sugar water can provide additional sustenance. Every three or four days (daily if it is really hot!) the sugar water is changed in the two hummingbirds feeders. Letting it set longer, especially in the sunshine, causes it to ferment, ie. bacteria and mold grows. YIKES . . . then one is doing more harm than good.

One of the feeders is in 
the back.

The other one
is attached between 
the front two "kitchen" windows.

This one is strategically hanging so hummingbirds visiting this feeder can be seen while humans eating a meal can observe them.

Epolibium canum
(California fuchsia 'Calistoga')

Tubular flowers are magnets for the hummingbirds. And, no surprise,It is so delightful to see a hummingbird with its long bill ravenously seeking food from the flowers pictured above. It goes from flower to flower. Luckily there are three of these all planted together in the front yard. They were positioned along the path leading to the gate on the west side of the house. 

As hummers are seeking their nourishment, it is delightful time to